Healthcare in Northamptonshire is 'fragmented and disjointed' for elderly people, says report

Alastair Ulke

A report has found there is "no system" in place to use elderly patients' feedback to improve care as a whole in Northamptonshire.

A review of care across Northamptonshire by the CQC, which was published this morning (July 11), has pointed out a string of issues affecting care for people aged over 65.

It states that Northamptonshire's health services are dealing with "poor relationships, financial constraints and issues of capacity," and that healthcare groups are not working together to patients' feedback to develop how they work.

The review was launched to look at how hospitals, GPs, care homes and homecare agencies work together to prove "seamless" care for people aged over 65.

Professor Steve Field, CQC’s chief inspector of general practice, said: "While there is an intent from the system to improve how people move through health and social care services, the reality has been variable, with fragmented services, disjointed care and unsatisfactory experiences for older people.

"If an older person was admitted to hospital, they were more likely to have longer hospital stays and people’s experience of being discharged from hospital was not always timely or person-centred.

"There is a need for partners to take this important work forward at pace so that older people are seen and cared for at the right place at the right time by the right people."

They also cited there was no systematic or joined-up approach across the county to use feedback from people, their families and carers, and public involvement in the development of strategy and services.

The review was carried out in April 2018 using feedback from across the county.

It has suggested improving relationships between providers and commissioners and "sharing of lessons".